PSX Soccer Kid (PSX) > Reviews (1)

SOCCER KID

We all had our favourite classic arcade games when growing up and many of these games are still around to this very day. Being a massive football fan, Soccer Kid was always my best classic 2D platform game, even more so than Sonic The Hedgehog. Soccer Kid was first released way back in 1994 for the Commodore Amiga, Super Nintendo and 3DO Interactive Multiplayer. Soccer Kid is a fast-paced, platform arcade adventure game. Very similar to other classic platform games like Sonic and Super Mario. Soccer Kid was then re-released for The Sony Playstation and for the Gameboy Advanced. The Playstation version was released back in 2003. Also Soccer Kid can be found under the name of The Adventures of Kid Kleets. Soccer Kid was developed by Krisalis, ReadySoft and Telegames. Soccer Kid has a unique but rather strange storyline (yes its got a story).

An alien pirate by the name of Scab has stolen the world famous Universal Soccer Trophy but his spaceship collides with an oncoming asteroid as he tries to escape with it. The Universal Soccer Trophy is shattered into lots of pieces and falls back down to earth in many different countries. Now you must take the role as Soccer Kid and travel all around the world to find all the missing pieces of the prestigious Universal Soccer Trophy. Like I said the story is a strange one but it actually does work really well. Its not everyday you hear about alien pirates. Overall Soccer Kid is a classic platform adventure game that finally hit the Playstation console.

Gameplay

Soccer Kid for an old game still offers a lot in terms of gameplay. You play as the one known as Soccer Kid. At the start menu if you press different buttons you can actually change the kit he wears to possibly one that resembles your favourite football team. As Soccer Kid you must race your way through 10 visually different themed stages with 15 fairly long levels, plus 5 bonus levels. Use you soccer ball as a form of weapon to defeat over 40 unique enemies, including 5 end of stage bosses and 1 HUGE end of game guardians. Use special moves to defeat countless enemies. Perform football tricks to gain extra points: use headers, volleys and even overhead kicks to overcome the enemy. Also throughout the different stages and levels you can find 'Soccer Cards' scattered throughout and these can be used later for hidden bonus stages in the game.

Some of the levels can be very tough to get through and the fact your on a time limit doesn't help. Help Soccer Kid find all the missing pieces that are scattered in the bonus stages of the game. To get the bonus stages you need to find the soccer cards. Use your ball to reach high places, use the games environment to your advantage and find items. Soccer Kid doesn't just collect soccer cards, he can also find lots of different items such as bonus items, extra lives and even power-ups to enhance Soccer Kid's abilities. Explore Soccer Kid's hometown of Rotherham in England but be careful of Gareth, a rogue rugby player.

Also visit other countries such as Russia, Japan, Italy and the U.S.A. Each country have their own different type of enemies ranging from skateboarders, cyclists and even an American Footballer. Overall Soccer Kid has a lot to offer in terms of gameplay.

What Can You Expect To See During Play?

When you are actually playing the game, on screen are many different things. It tells you how many lives you have remaining. You start with 3 lives but you can find extra ones that are usually in those hard to reach places. When all your lives have gone its pretty much full time and the final whistle actually does blow. Also you need to collect 11 cards hidden throughout each country to qualify for the bonus stages. For the bonus stages, in order to get a piece of the missing Universal Trophy you have to collect 50 items in the allocated time allowed. Also on screen is your score. Points are scored for removing adversaries from play, and collecting bonus items. Extra lives are awarded if you get past certain scores in the game. Also on screen is time remaining to finish the current level. Each level gives you a certain time limit in order to complete your mission. Bonus points are also awarded if you finish each level in super quick time. Soccer Kid also has an energy bar. The energy bar features 3 hearts which allow you 3 hits by your enemies or any other way Soccer Kid can be harmed. Also throughout the levels you will come across information symbols. These symbols help you in the game. All that is required is that you kick the ball up at the symbol to receive information. Also there are a lot of different special chests scattered throughout the level which require you to kick your ball at them to open them up to see what is inside. Inside the chests are usually power-ups. Contents of special chests can include a clock for an extra 15 seconds of time, hearts to fill up your energy bar if your damaged, T-Shirts which give you invincibility, Soccer Kid's picture cards which give you an extra life and also boots to make Soccer Kid run faster.

Graphics

Its hard to past judgement on the graphics to such an old game. Back in 1994 when Soccer Kid was first released the graphics were seen as brilliant. However in modern times they are classed as outdated. I wouldn't say so outdated as to make the game unplayable because the game does offer a lot to make it one of the best of all time. The basic level design is actually still really good, especially when you visit different countries. England has Big Ben, Tower Bridge and even The Houses Of Parliament which can all be seen in the background of the London based levels. Other countries also features bits like this. In Russia the snow falls and it actually does look okay. Over 40 enemies to tackle and most of the enemies do look rather mean and most of them look nicely designed. Who would of thought that world famous opera singer Pavarotti would feature in a soccer platform game? In the game he is better known as Pavarelli but you can certainly tell who it actually is.

Soccer Kid isn't the best looking character to a platform game but he still does the job. He just looks like a friendly person. Overall the graphics do look slightly dated but I feel the game still offers a lot in this respect.

Sound Effects

Soccer Kid has always been great for sound effects just like many other classic arcade style games. The background music to each level is different and it definitely livens up the game. The boss music is different to the normal level music and also as your running out of time the music gets faster and faster like it did on previous classic games. There are over 20 pieces of specially-themed digital music. The basic sound effects when progressing through the game is very reasonable but some parts of it can sound a little off putting. For example when Soccer Kid is kicking the ball it sounds like he is kicking a wooden box. The enemies make some great sound effects and you can always tell when one is coming. Overall the sound effects to Soccer Kid are still in pretty good shape considering the age of the game and they still make the game playable.

Difficulty & Longevity

The difficulty of Soccer Kid is mixed on each level. The game starts of fairly simple and would be suitable for all gamers but a few levels later and the game does turn really difficult. Old classic games have always been rather tricky but we still go back and play them. Back then the games were far more difficult than they are today and Soccer Kid is no different. The levels get harder, the enemies seem stronger and with your energy bar only allowing you 3 hits it does make the game rather tricky. The controls to the game are very simple once you get the hang of them. Soccer Kid does have a lot of controls to the game but once you've mastered them you'll be fine. The game does offer a lot of challenging sequences to get through and overall the difficulty of the game is a little hard. I always say that the classic games like this can last a lifetime. Soccer Kid has been around for many years and this proves its still popular. With 10 stages, 15 levels and 5 bonus levels the game is actually good longevity wise. One of the best things about Soccer Kid is the fact it is a very addictive game and it can last a long time. With the game being fairly tricky to complete, it does make it last longer. Overall I am pleased with both these aspects to the game.

Good Bits

• A platform/action adventure game that even has football elements in.
• Lots of levels, lots of different enemies and some very funny bosses.
• The great sound effects are still there and some of the music is brilliant.
• Use your ball to do tricks, knock down enemies and you can even use it to reach those hard to reach places.
• Some of the levels are really well designed with their own features.

Bad Bits

• The game can be very tricky to get through with such a small energy bar and not so many lives.
• The graphics are a little outdated now and make the game a little disappointing.
• Soccer Kid is a very addictive game and can drag you in for hours but it is fun.

• No multiplayer mode to play with friends.

Final Thought

Soccer Kid is a very well known game. It offers a lot in terms of gameplay and in other aspects to the game as well. It even offers a fairly decent storyline, which many platform games don't have. Also Soccer Kid is an interesting character to play as and you cant play as anyone else. He can run, jump, duck, fall through platforms, slide tackle, land on the ball, roll on the ball, use the ball to jump higher, kick the ball, do tricks and he can even do different headers. The game manual is a short one and offers 11 pages of information but in those 11 pages, everything is listed. I bought Soccer Kid from Amazon for a very low price of £2 including postage. I think for £2 its worth every penny because it does offer a lot. I would recommend this to fans of the platform genre and to fans of a good old fashioned game. Soccer Kid also has a rating of 3+ and it can be enjoyed by just about anyone. The only downside for the 3+ is kids may find the game to difficult. Overall Soccer Kid is one of the most enjoyable and addictive time consuming games I have ever played. I would give Soccer Kid a very respectable 7/10 for such an oldie!

Review also on dooyoo under the username: simon020187!